Raytheon to Make Sub HDR SATCOM Systems

Photonics.comJul 2004
MCKINNEY, Texas, July 28 -- Under a $29.4 million contract from Electric Boat Corp., Raytheon Co. will produce new submarine high-data rate (Sub HDR) multiband satellite communication (SATCOM) systems for the new Virginia Class submarine. Raytheon said work will begin immediately.

Sub HDR is a communication system that connects submariners to the above sea world by giving them high data rate, multiband SATCOM capability. Sailors deploy Sub HDR by raising a mast-mounted antenna above the ocean's surface, while the boat remains submerged at periscope depth.

The system connects to the Global Broadcast Service, the Milstar satellite constellation and the Defense Satellite Communication System to send and receive information such as secure wideband multimedia, voice and data traffic, imagery and video teleconferencing.

To date, Raytheon has developed and delivered more than 50 Sub HDRs under contracts worth more than $160 million. Its customers include: Newport News Shipyard, for the first build of Virginia Class submarines; Electric Boat, for the second build of Virginia Class submarines; and the US Navy Program Executive Office for Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence and Space, for existing classes of US and UK submarines.

The Virginia Class is the next-generation US attack submarine and the first class designed for missions including regional, littoral and open-ocean or "blue water" combat. Virginia Class submarines have two Sub HDR masts that allow simultaneous communication at super high frequency and extremely high frequency.